“I’ve been wanting to guest post for 10 years, but Heather will never let me. If you’ve been following Heather, you’ve seen my work before with these amazing dishes: Spicy Shrimp Linguine and Pasta Bolognese from her first cookbook (Bobby Flay, if you’re reading this I’m down to beat your ass in a pasta sauce throw down anytime, anywhere).

Anyway, had I known that all I needed to do was screw-up Pia’s arts & crafts homework, we would’ve been talking sooner. I tried to help Pia make a wind chime out of pencils and a ruler, but it really didn’t go well. As you (may) know, fortunately Heather’s hidden talent is arts & crafts. She’s amazing at it – In fact, I secretly wonder if Heather is the love child of MacGyver and Martha Stewart. There’s no way she would let her daughter go to school with my “wind chime”, so she’s busy helping her make something better. Any way, enough about that – I only have 3 minutes before she reconsiders and takes the computer from me.

This is my big shot, but Game 7 Golden State / OKC is starting and I can’t focus on writing. Crap.

OK, this weekend. Memorial Day at the Christo compound. Before we had kids, I would envision weekends like this. Vegas … Miami … Cabo maybe … somewhere warm and fun with amazing food options. We’d lie by the pool all day and then find great restaurants with heavy-handed bartenders. This weekend was just like that. Not really.

It started with Friday night and all day Saturday watching Coco as Charlie in the Broadway Bound production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. She was amazing in one of the leading roles. But I’ve watched it so many times now I know every kids line. Painful. Saturday night we went to Varlamos Pizzeria. One of our closest friends’ restaurants. That’s what Coco wanted. Since there were no bartenders, we had some Pinot Grigio. Yes, I’ve been emasculated.

Sunday was a little more action-packed. It started with us cleaning the house – it was amazing. If Heather’s secret talent is arts & crafts, mine is wiping the floor. I use Swiffers. They’re amazing. That green apple scent and all.

We had some of my high school friends over later that day for Ribs and Lobster. Heather made these amazing Asian and Cherry BBQ ribs and we grilled lobsters. Kind of a new age surf and turf. We topped that off with 12 bottles of wine and booze and everyone was in bed by 9.00pm. Fortunately, our kids went for a sleep over to our friends’ house, Scott and Danielle. But we couldn’t sleep in. Why does that always happen … kids are home, you can sleep until 11. Kids leave, you’re up at 6. WTF.

That brings us to today. Heather and I wanted to go to our favorite brunch at Senor Mooses. But it was closed. So we settled for old Banana Bread Heather made Friday …. with coffee. Yum. Then we’ve been kicking around the house all day working on arts & crafts. You know how that went…..Until next time.

Cilantro, Corn, Potato and Poblano Chowder

Author: Heather Christo

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

1 serrano chili, minced

12 ounce gluten free beer

5 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced

3 poblano peppers, diced

4 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon cumin

4 ears fresh corn kernels, cut from the cob

Cilantro Sauce

2 cloves garlic, chopped

½ Serrano pepper, chopped

1 bunch cilantro

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

kosher salt

Garnish with avocado chunks

Instructions

In a large pot over medium-high heat add the olive oil and the yellow onion and Serrano Chili. Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the beer and deglaze, stirring well. Cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the potatoes and the poblano peppers as well as the vegetable broth. Add the Cumin, stir well and bring to a simmer. Add a lid to the pot and turn the heat to low, letting the soup simmer for about 20 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, make the cilantro sauce. In the jar of a blender combine the garlic, Serrano, cilantro, oil and vinegar. Puree until smooth and then season to taste with kosher salt. If you need a few tablespoons of water to get the blender to run smoothly go ahead and add it.

Remove the lid and add the corn and cook with the lid off for 5 minutes until the corn is tender. Add the Cilantro sauce to the soup and cook a few minutes more. Season the soup with kosher salt to taste, garnish with avocado and serve hot.

“I’ve been wanting to guest post for 10 years, but Heather will never let me. If you’ve been following Heather, you’ve seen my work before with these amazing dishes: Spicy Shrimp Linguine and Pasta Bolognese from her first cookbook (Bobby Flay, if you’re reading this I’m down to beat your ass in a pasta sauce throw down anytime, anywhere).

Anyway, had I known that all I needed to do was screw-up Pia’s arts & crafts homework, we would’ve been talking sooner. I tried to help Pia make a wind chime out of pencils and a ruler, but it really didn’t go well. As you (may) know, fortunately Heather’s hidden talent is arts & crafts. She’s amazing at it – In fact, I secretly wonder if Heather is the love child of MacGyver and Martha Stewart. There’s no way she would let her daughter go to school with my “wind chime”, so she’s busy helping her make something better. Any way, enough about that – I only have 3 minutes before she reconsiders and takes the computer from me.

This is my big shot, but Game 7 Golden State / OKC is starting and I can’t focus on writing. Crap.

OK, this weekend. Memorial Day at the Christo compound. Before we had kids, I would envision weekends like this. Vegas … Miami … Cabo maybe … somewhere warm and fun with amazing food options. We’d lie by the pool all day and then find great restaurants with heavy-handed bartenders. This weekend was just like that. Not really.

It started with Friday night and all day Saturday watching Coco as Charlie in the Broadway Bound production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. She was amazing in one of the leading roles. But I’ve watched it so many times now I know every kids line. Painful. Saturday night we went to Varlamos Pizzeria. One of our closest friends’ restaurants. That’s what Coco wanted. Since there were no bartenders, we had some Pinot Grigio. Yes, I’ve been emasculated.

Sunday was a little more action-packed. It started with us cleaning the house – it was amazing. If Heather’s secret talent is arts & crafts, mine is wiping the floor. I use Swiffers. They’re amazing. That green apple scent and all.

We had some of my high school friends over later that day for Ribs and Lobster. Heather made these amazing Asian and Cherry BBQ ribs and we grilled lobsters. Kind of a new age surf and turf. We topped that off with 12 bottles of wine and booze and everyone was in bed by 9.00pm. Fortunately, our kids went for a sleep over to our friends’ house, Scott and Danielle. But we couldn’t sleep in. Why does that always happen … kids are home, you can sleep until 11. Kids leave, you’re up at 6. WTF.

That brings us to today. Heather and I wanted to go to our favorite brunch at Senor Mooses. But it was closed. So we settled for old Banana Bread Heather made Friday …. with coffee. Yum. Then we’ve been kicking around the house all day working on arts & crafts. You know how that went…..Until next time.

Cilantro, Corn, Potato and Poblano Chowder

Author: Heather Christo

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

1 serrano chili, minced

12 ounce gluten free beer

5 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced

3 poblano peppers, diced

4 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon cumin

4 ears fresh corn kernels, cut from the cob

Cilantro Sauce

2 cloves garlic, chopped

½ Serrano pepper, chopped

1 bunch cilantro

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

kosher salt

Garnish with avocado chunks

Instructions

In a large pot over medium-high heat add the olive oil and the yellow onion and Serrano Chili. Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the beer and deglaze, stirring well. Cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the potatoes and the poblano peppers as well as the vegetable broth. Add the Cumin, stir well and bring to a simmer. Add a lid to the pot and turn the heat to low, letting the soup simmer for about 20 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, make the cilantro sauce. In the jar of a blender combine the garlic, Serrano, cilantro, oil and vinegar. Puree until smooth and then season to taste with kosher salt. If you need a few tablespoons of water to get the blender to run smoothly go ahead and add it.

Remove the lid and add the corn and cook with the lid off for 5 minutes until the corn is tender. Add the Cilantro sauce to the soup and cook a few minutes more. Season the soup with kosher salt to taste, garnish with avocado and serve hot.

Ten years…that’s a long time coming…congrats! She did let you use the infamous backdrop of hers down to the edible flowers…maybe next time you can convince her for another guest post with a clever, artsy and your signature backdrop. I could dig into this bowl with or without a spoon (chips.) Viva la green bowl!